Welcome to Akatsuki Enterprises!
by AriaxCantabile
Summary: Modern-Day story following the trials & troubles of young Ayame as she searches for a job in the bustling city. Driven with motivation from her twin sister, Kiame, she continues applying for jobs until one company reaches out to her; Akatsuki Enterprises. (Rated M for suggestive themes & language, but could possibly be T) ItachixOC/SasuxSakuxOC/and more...Reviews welcome!
1. Prolouge

**Welcome to Akatsuki Enterprises  
**_  
Chapter 1: Prolouge  
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**AN;** _**So, I recieved some inspiration to write a new story recently...a humourous one, to contrast some of the other's I've written about...lol. I thought this one might be a little more enjoyable to read, so, here it is! Welcome to Akatsuki Enterprises everyone! :D**_

_**This story, like Fire and Ice, will follow (a somewhat OOC) Ayame, with some antics by her twin Kiame, along with some of the other Naruto cast :D There may possibly be some pairings, some odd, some not, so...I'll probably warn of that happening as the story unfolds in-like this-a little Author's Note, so...yeah. :D Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy reading! :D (Review or follow if you wish!)**_

_**~Aria  
**_

_***(I do not own Naruto or any of the characters, but I do Ayame and Kiame...)***_

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I sighed.  
How hard was it to find a job? I mean, come on.  
The society of America makes you go to school for years and years, forcing you to pour your life out to education, then once you're released from your prison, you need to pay off debts from-again-this said education, thus to do this, you have to work.

Until you pay it all off, or die.  
One or the other.

The sigh came again.

"You're never going to find work if all you do is sigh at a computer screen." I looked away from my prospective job search to my sister, Kiame, who had come in for Summer Break to…well…Pretty much annoy me, but to also seek release from her University. Her normally straight brown hair was pulled back into a slouchy bun (I never did understand why she thought that hairstyle practical…all it did was cause tangles…defeating the purpose), eyes clad with her horn-rimmed reading glasses, and body sporting one of my over-sized sleeping tee-shirts (did she not bring her own clothes to wear?).

"I've tried going for interviews, Kia." I glared back at her calm green gaze. We'd had this discussion at least six times since she'd arrived last week. "No one wants to hire me. I'm overqualified."

She grinned as she skipped into my kitchen. "Sucks to be a genius, hunh?"

In reference to what she had just said, no-I'm not a genius. I just happened to graduate a little bit…faster…than most my age; and just so happened to have a few degrees…in different things…Most didn't. "Oh, shut up." I snapped, scrolling through-yet another-list of wanted jobs.

"You know," I heard her call through food filled mouth, (now she's eating what little nourishment I did manage to scrounge…great.) "I could probably get you a job with Shiki (Shikamaru, one of Kia's friends from college) down near the bluff? He owns that Comic shop, you know."

I snapped my computer shut and began to rub my temples, yet another headache was dawning on me. How long had I been looking for jobs anyway? One, two months? "I'd rather not, Kia. I'm all for manga and comics but I need an actual job."

She walked back into my living area/computer room with an arm full of drinks and junk food. "Money is money, isn't it?"

I rolled my eyes and removed myself from my desk, joining her on the couch. "Not when you have student loans and bills to pay. There needs to be a certain quota of money involved at that point."

"Here," Kiame frowned as she handed me a wine cooler. "You don't have any ideas?"

I removed the lid from my Smirnoff and frowned. "Well, some." In truth, I'd had a few prospective call-backs, but when I went in for an interview I was either-as I said before-over qualified, or too young for their business goals (In my opinion, 23 wasn't really that young, but hey-who was I to argue with a bunch of wise old men). "I've bookmarked a few."

"Tell me about them," She grinned, taking a swig of her own hard lemonade.

I really missed having my sister around. We were twins, identical almost-save for eye colour…and a few personality issues. She was always a great help through school; helping me study, encouraging me, providing company-she just had different plans for life than I. She wanted to enjoy university, take her time and explore the possibilities, I, well…I needed to get out of school and get to work. Still, I missed our late night talks and venting sessions. "Tell me about your classes first." I stated, placing my feet up on the table. "Then I'll talk."

"Fine…" Kiame pouted. "But you better tell me, nee-chan…"

I chuckled. "Alright."

"Uhm, I passed all of my courses last semester," She mumbled, "Calculus, Physics, French, British Literature, and Sociology."

"Good," I nodded, taking another drink. How long had it been since I'd actually tasted alcohol? "What degree are you going for now?"

Her frown deepened. "I don't really know…"

I finished off my bottle and grabbed two others from the coffee table, placing one before her. "Then let's have a toast."

Kiame gave me a strange look. "Are you drunk already..?"

I ignored her comment as I clinked our glasses together. "Here's to misfortune,"

She rolled her eyes as joined in my little game. "And the unknown." She finished, laughing.

.

* * *

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"Hey, Ayame, wake up!"

Who was that?

"Ayame, get out of bed!"

I growled, trying to burrow myself further into my duvet. My head was pounding, much like whoever it was trying to wake me, and man…what time even was it? "Hey!"

I opened a very blurry eye to read, in blinking blue letters, 7:45 on my alarm clock. Damnit, what had Kiame been picking from Naruto while I was away…Didn't she know what time it was? "I'm getting up Kia, calm yourself."

I heard a loud sigh from my sister as she continued beating on my bedroom door, "You better hurry."

"Why?" I shouted, tossing my covers (with a little more force than necessary) to the side.

"There's a girl on the phone for you, she says it's important!"

Realizing that most didn't really call me (not unless it was Kiame or a few friends from college), and that it may be a prospector for a job, I leapt out of bed-practically slamming myself into the door in the process, but hey, I was up. "Where's the phone?" I mumbled, stepping out of my room and into my, still dark, flat.

"Here," Kiame snapped, placing it into my outstretched hand. "The woman wouldn't stop calling until you answered it."

"Thanks." I mumbled, placing the receiver to my face. "Hello?"

I winced at how groggy my voice sounded. "_Hello, Is this Miss Azikuria?" _Kia was right; it was a girl on the other end.

"Yeah, this is her." I answered. "Ayame, specifically."

"_Ah, good. So sorry to call at such an early hour, Miss Ayame, but I am with Akatsuki Enterprises," _The girl stated._ "And I am calling in response to a resume we received from you approximately two weeks ago." _

My heart began to flutter. Was I really getting a call back? After all that misfortune, really?  
Kiame stood beside me, trying to eavesdrop on the conversation. Apparently she heard, and understood, because she began to grin and nod enthusiastically. "Ah, I see."

"_My employer, Mr. Pain, (_did she really say Pain?)_ would like to schedule an interview with you for a personal secretary position in one of our offices," _She explained. _"Details of the job will be emailed to you after our phone call, be it you accept, and a time will be arranged as well. Do you wish to follow up?"_

Realizing that my eager nods couldn't be seen over a telephone, I replied with a "Yes!"

The woman over the phone seemed amused. "_Alright, Miss Ayame, we will schedule your interview for today at 2:30, does this time work with you?"_

My heart dropped. Really? 2:30? 2:30 **TODAY**? Kia nodded for me, but I managed the words. "Ah, yes."

"_Excellent. Directions to our main headquarters will be sent along with the job description. If any complications should arise, call the number located at the end of said email, and we will follow from there. Do you have any questions?"_

I shook my head, but answered no when I realized-like the nod-she could not see.

"_Very well. We look forward to seeing you for your interview. I am Konan, thank you again for your time."_

"Thank you." I stated, hanging up.

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**AN; _Soooooo, kind of short, but I thought this would be a good start :D I hope you guys like! Suggestions, comments, critique, or any thing else is welcome and appreciated :D _**

**_Thank you!_**

**_~Aria_**


	2. Chapter 1: Coffee, Anyone?

**Chapter 1: Coffee, Anyone?**

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**AN: _And now with chapter 1! :D lol. I'm really enjoying writing this one...maybe it's the humor...haha. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy :D_**

**_*SilverWolfMaiden; Shirane is in this chapter...;D...SURPRISE!_**

**Thanks for reading!**

**~_Aria_**

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"Alright!" Kiame grinned, giving me a huge pat on the shoulder. "I can't believe you actually nailed an interview!"

I grimaced. It'd been long since that call, and once Kiame had heard the good news, she refused to let me sleep-saying I needed to be at my best for today. I don't think these guys wanted to have a potential employee show up grouchy and sleep-deprived, but whatever. I'll just go with it. "We'll just have to see, Kia, I've been to interviews before, remember?"

My sister rolled her eyes as she pushed me into my room, heading straight for my closet. "You need to stop being so negative." She stated, rummaging through my wardrobe. "This may turn out to be a good thing!"

The grimace deepened as I sat down on my bed, watching Kiame. Why did she have to insist on trying to pick out my clothes? Was this some sort of sister thing I'd never heard of?  
Ahhh...If only I could sleep...

"Do you have any ideas for what you'll wear?" She called back over her shoulder, tossing a few of my things in the floor.

"No," I mumbled, inwardly groaning at the fact that I'd have to clean all of this stuff up later. "The email just said normal dress clothes. Nothing revealing or obnoxiously bright."

A scoff came from my sister as clothes began to be thrown from my closet. "You have absolutely nothing good in here," She stated, "No wonder you don't have a job!"

Heat began to build in my cheeks. What did she know?  
"Do too," I mumbled, lifting up one of the dressier pieces she'd tossed from its hanger. "I have a pencil skirt."

Kiame placed her hands on her hips as she turned back to look at me. "That skirt is so old, Ayame. You can see it's all faded and torn."

I frowned, insulted.

"If you're going to an interview with a company like Akatsuki, you need to wear something nice," She stated, "They're pretty infamous for their business holdings, after all. You want to make a good impression."

And so my nerves returned.  
I don't normally get…scared…with thoughts of an interview, but like my sister said; Akatsuki was one of the biggest names in business right now, and somehow I had managed to nail an interview with their boss. I needed to impress.

"Don't worry," She skipped over to the door and tossed my purse at me, grinning. "We'll go and get you something to wear."

Again, my frown deepened. Was she just going to leave my things lying in the floor like that...? "My interview is in like 4 hours, Kiame…"

"We'll just have to be fast then!" She called, already leaving for the stairs.

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* * *

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I scowled as we left the coffee shop, gazing around at the crowds now forming for lunch hour. I'd tried and tried to get Kiame to back off on the "new wardrobe" idea, at least until I had some more money in my pocket, but she wouldn't listen-thus, here we were. "You ready?" Kia giggled, starting down the sidewalk. At least the coffee might wake me up...

I rolled my eyes and followed after her. "My interview is in like, 3 hours Kia, we need to make this fast. At some point I still need to go home and get ready."

She ignored me as we continued through the crowds, trying to spot a clothing store.  
Summers in Michigan were nice; since it was located further north, the weather never really reached over 80 degrees, at least during this time of year. The winter's were cold, but I'd never really minded frosty weather, I enjoyed it, really. Currently, we were somewhere in between comfort and frost, even though it was the middle of July, but I wasn't complaining. "What about here?" Kiame stated, stopping by the window of a store called '_New York_.' My wallet visibly twitched as the mannequin's price tags met my eye; $360 for a blouse? "Keep moving." I answered, looking away from the display.

And so Kiame did, but not before she dragged me into the crowd near the entrance, which, I didn't realize, had no respect for a woman with a cup of coffee (not like anyone ever did, but most tried to avoid a potential accident if they could...). With my footing now lost and the grip on the beverage in my hand slipping, I began to brace for the worst; and oh, the worst came.

Apparently the figure directly before me had either not seen me coming (which would have been impossible had they of looked up from their phone) or just didn't care, but there was no escaping it now. In what seemed like a year's worth of time, my coffee slowly fell from my fingers, tossed through the air, and landed in an explosion of cream and sugar on said person's chest.

Initially, I had thought that that would be the worst, but before my poor victim could recuperate (from the scalding beverage now drenching their front), I-also-collided with them; which broke both Kiame's hold on my arm, and the other person's footing. If I were in any other situation, I imagine this little scene looked quite humorous, but, well…this wasn't that situation.

"What do you think you're doing, girl!?" I heard a voice ask, none too pleased.

With great effort, I swallowed my pride and glanced up at my victim-trying to muster the courage to apologize. It was a man, who, by the looks of it, was royally and nobly pissed. I gulped.

He had long black hair, which was parted and pulled into a ponytail-though most still fell into bangs around his face. I imagine he would have had very striking charcoal eyes, be it they weren't twisted into rage and, well…glaring at me. Light tear troughs stood out below the, aforementioned, eyes, though I would venture to say that they'd soften with sleep. "You've ruined my suit." He snapped, glancing down at his clothes.

I flinched. His outfit looked extremely expensive…Tie, blazer, slacks; if he pushed it, I knew there would be no way I could pay him back for the damage my coffee had done. Yeah, I'm sure I could reason with him and find a good dry-cleaning place that would take care of the (now forming) stains; but, well, he didn't really seem like the type to negotiate. "I-I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to…"

"Get off of me," Again with the snappy attitude. It was an accident, didn't this guy understand? "Do you even know who I am?"

With a sudden bout of confidence, I shoved myself up from the hateful man (mentally taking note that the coffee had also managed to stain my white top…(the white top that Kia had forced me to wear….)). "Look, jerk," The man's black eyes widened. I could see my sister violently shaking her head, telling me to just leave it and head on our way-especially before I caused any trouble-but this asshole was asking for it. "I don't really give a fuck _who_ you are or _what _you do, but next time, why don't you watch where you're going? It's a little too crowded to be strutting around on your cell phone all the time. What happened was an accident, ut you have to admit, it's kind of hard to miss a giant coffee cup hurdling at you."

My confidence began to die as the man stood, his eyes narrowing. "I was making a business transaction with one of the most successful Japanese brokers in Tokyo, girl," He hissed his words, making me flinch. "A transaction that would have made my company well over three million in sales (Crap...). And now, because of you, I have a $6,000 ruined suit (Ohhhhh, double crap), and a deal that could possibly of fallen through, seeing as your coffee made me drop the conference call I was having. So, now, I have to go back to my office and try to sort out the problem that _you _caused. All because you can't watch where you're going."

Kiame, not wishing to cause any more of a scene than we already had, ran up to my side and locked arms with me, trying to drag me away. "We are terribly sorry sir, next time, I'll have to make sure my sister watches where she's walking."

"See that you do." He snapped as he grabbed his belongings.  
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* * *

.

"That arrogant son of a bitch." I hissed, following Kiame to my apartment. Now, not only did I have around an hour or so to get ready, but my shirt and pants were also ruined-and not to mention sticky. I desperately needed a shower…a few drinks wouldn't hurt either. "You'd think he'd never of had an accident before."

"Well, it was your fault," My sister chuckled, sliding out of her driver's seat. "You should have watched where you were going."

I followed her lead and stepped out of the passenger's side, grabbing my bags from the backseat. "You were the one dragging me along." I mumbled, glancing up at my flat. "Technically, it's your fault."

My apartment complex wasn't anything special; it smelled, quite horribly from the stairs anyway, but the rooms and neighbors were kind, especially the landlady. She'd given me quite the deal when I first moved here, and still tried her best to make my rent affordable, even bending the pay-date for me on more than one occasion. I should really thank her sometime…I wonder how she's doing?

"Oh well," She smirked, taking off up the stairs. "At least you met a cute guy today."

I rolled my eyes as Kiame skipped up to my door-ignoring my comment. If you call being an ass cute, well, yeah-that guy was a_real _cutie. "You need a key to get in, dunce."

"Aya, I can't believe you got all of those dress clothes, and on sale too!" She giggled, patiently waiting for me to open the door. I shook my head at her childishness-I really missed it sometimes. "But I guess many women don't really wear stuff like that…Must be why it was all on clearance..."

Again, I rolled my eyes, disregarding her as I stepped inside. The sooner I got out of these clothes, the better. "Many women have office jobs, Kia."

"Yeah, boring women." Kiame winked, skipping past me.

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* * *

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I glanced over my reflection in the mirror, not particularly pleased with the person that now stared back at me. Kiame, again, insisted that I try to look my best…thus, _again_, she insisted on doing my hair…and make-up. (At some point, I really need to learn how to tell my sister no…)

Though I normally wear my hair down, and hate for it to be worn in any other way, Kiame had allowed me a compromise by only putting up half of it; to better frame my face, she said. So, my hair was in some half-up half-down style, with a ponytail in the back and bangs in the front-I guess I could live with that. The make-up, however, I hated.

I seldom wore the "greasepaint" that most women wear, mostly because I hated the way it looked on my skin, and felt on it for that matter-it was suffocating; but, against my better wishes, Kiame had managed to put some on me (managed being the key word). Matching black Eye liner and mascara on the eyes, to bring out the blue apparently, with foundation on the skin and nude on the lips. Personally, I didn't like how it looked, as I thought I would, but Kiame kept promising that it would make a good impression, so I just went with it. At least I could pick out my clothes this time…

Though it was just for an interview, I, again, wanted to leave a lasting impression, and decided on a pair of black slacks and matching blazer, with a white button-up underneath. That should be dressy enough, right?

"You look great, you know." Kia grinned, looking me over.

I sighed and grabbed my materials; resume and folder, pen, pencil, references, along with a copy of my college courses and the email I'd printed from earlier that morning; and made my way to the door (shakily, since Kiame had insisted I wear heels…which, like the other things, I don't do). "I don't feel great…"

"There's nothing to worry about." She opened my way to the stairs and handed me my car keys, pushing me out. Looks like I wouldn't be getting a chance to back out... "You just go and be yourself, that will knock 'em dead!"

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* * *

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I sighed, closing the door to my car.  
Earlier this morning, I'd taken it upon myself to learn more about the Akatsuki company, see what businesses they seemed to divulge stock in, things like that; it looked good to know about your area of interest, right? What I found shocked me; real estate, food, science, banking, manufacturing, health-nothing was off limits for this company. The Akatsuki name was practically on almost everything; and now I understood why.  
This headquarters was HUGE; just the main complex had to be twice the size of the Fischer Skyscraper, and a hearty rival to the size of the GM Renaissance Building, maybe even bigger.

Three large towers jutted out into the sky (would I have to ride an elevator all the way to the top…?), with tall black windows shining on all angles. A smaller series of buildings connected the towering three together (in what I assumed to be meeting halls, etc.), making the longer buildings look like some large…modern castle (save for the fact that there was an elegantly written company logo gleaming down the (tallest) middle building).

Again, with a sigh, I grabbed my things and made for the parking garage elevator. If this place was already intimidating, just from outward appearances, what were the employees like…?  
Man, what had I gotten myself into..?  
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* * *

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Well, if this building hadn't of been intimidating from a distance, it was up close.

How in the world had I never noticed this company before? It's in the middle of Detroit for crying out loud…Plus it's twice the size of most buildings here, it's practically screaming of importance.

I glanced down at my watch.  
2:06.

Was it already that late? Man...I needed to find out where I was going; and with a place this large, it would definitely take awhile.

With a sigh, I made my way through the heavy revolving doors, face-to-face with what appeared to be the entrance hall.  
Here, high vaulted ceilings (which I found odd, considering the shape and height) gave way to a modern chandelier which hung down into the very heart of the room. Ivory white walls enclosed the room on all sides, drastically contrasting that of the black tile floor. Keeping with their white theme, matching leather couches lined the East and West of the room, for waiting purposes, I suppose, with elegant glass tables and statues on either side. Against the wall opposite of myself, sat a large metal welcoming desk, with the company logo written in bold silver letters across. It was a very elegant room, but the lack of colour made me feel a little uncomfortable; or maybe it was just my nerves?

"Excuse me, Miss," The woman seated in the center of said desk, who had previously been busy with her computer, glanced up at my approach. "Is there something we can help you with?"

I felt a blush creep up on my cheeks; I could just imagine what I looked like, gawking in the entrance to a major company, dressed like I am…"Ah, yes." I mumbled. Both she and the women sitting on either side of her were remarkably good-looking. She, in particular, had blonde hair-so blonde, it looked as if it were silver, with golden eyes (either contacts or hazel, though I couldn't really tell from this distance). "I'm here for an interview."

"Oh," She smiled happily. "You're Ayame Azikuria, here for the 2:30 interview, correct?"

I nodded, pushing some hair away from my face. I was just talking to a secretary, why was I getting so nervous? "Yes, a woman by the name of Konan called me and asked if I could come in earlier this morning."

The woman clicked a few numbers on her keyboard then looked back up at me. "I have you down right here," She stated, standing. "I'll walk you up to his offices, if you wish?"

"Sounds nice," I answered, following her around the desk.

She nodded and turned down into one of the many hallways leading off from the entrance. It was a long walkway, who's walls led off into different sets of meeting rooms and offices (though we were moving so fast it was hard to tell). "Do you live here in Detroit?" The woman asked, coming to a stop near, what I presumed to be, a set of elevators.

"Yes," I answered, following her inside the nearest one. Definitely elevators then. She punched in a password, to give her access to the floor she needed-I suppose, and then pressed the door shut behind her. "I live just between Ann Arbor and here."

"Interesting," She stated, as the elevator began to move. "I live just outside of Windsor myself."

"Cool," I smiled as the elevator began to pick up speed (man, this thing goes really fast…). The nerves from before were beginning to well up within my stomach. What if this interview turned out like all the others? What would I do? I couldn't keep mooching off of my landlady's kindness, nor could I go back to living with Kiame-she was in school, after all...

"My name's Shirane, by the way." She bowed as the elevator suddenly began to slow, (great...already here...) "It was a pleasure to meet you, Ayame, and if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

I bowed back, making my way out of the newly opened doors. "Thank you Shirane. It was nice to meet you too..."

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**AN: _I know nothing really happened in this chapter, but I hope the next one will be just a little bit better...:(...Hopefully I'll get around to updating Fire and Ice too, lol, at least once my college stuff is out of the way. Ahhhh...busy busy busy..._**

**Anywho, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter regardless, lol. :D More to come!**

**_SilverWolfMaiden; Hopefully you'll like this one XD lol, I have some humorous ideas for the plot in later chapters, but regardless I'm glad you'll give it a try :D _**

**_Happy Thanksgiving (if you celebrate it), if not...uhm...Happy...Week...day...day...lol!_**

**_~Aria_**


	3. Chapter 2: Meetings and Greetings

**Chapter 2: Meetings and Greetings**

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**AN; Wow...I seriously just want to thank everyone who has been keeping up with this story...D": It means so much! I never expected it to receive such kind comments and follows. :D thank you to all! As requested, here is chapter two! :D**

**My busy period is beginning to pass, and I will (hopefully) be able to update more frequently...both this story and Fire and Ice, so, look forward to those! :D**

**.**

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"Miss Azikuria?" I glanced up from my spot on the waiting room couch, locking eyes with one of the secretaries I'd spoken with from before. She, like the one's downstairs, was quite…attractive; which-again-only caused my self-esteem to drop even lower.

"Yes?" I stated, standing from my seat. Like the entrance, this floor too had white walls and black tile, though most had been obscured by odd artwork or decorative rugs. There was a desk, on the opposite wall of the elevator, which housed the secretaries and such, though this one didn't seem to have the company logo written across. The floor was grand, considering it was only an office level (would all of them be like this?..)-Akatsuki must be bigger deal than I'd thought.

"Mr. Pain will see you now," She answered. I believe she'd introduced herself as Yari, but I wasn't entirely sure. "If you'll please follow me?"

I nodded eagerly and followed after the woman, careful not to trip over the slick floor. I really hated heels. "Mr. Pain is quite busy," She turned down the hallway and led me to a set of double doors, both large, white, and decorated with intricate glass-work. "He just finished with a meeting, and has another in about five minutes. Most of your interview will take place here," Yari gestured to the doors, "But it may need to continue on his suite a few floors up. Any questions?"

I stared at her, my mouth suddenly running dry. Would I seriously only have five minutes to impress this guy? FIVE minutes? That's less time than all of my previous interviews, divided in half…"Miss Ayame?"

Might as well kiss this job goodbye…"I understand." I blurted out, bowing awkwardly for her help. "I'm ready. Thank you."

Yari smiled as she opened the doors, wishing me luck. "Mr. Pain, Ayame is here." She called inside.

"Let her in," A voice responded, somewhat annoyed.

Great, he was already in a bad mood.

Yari pushed the door open further and pressed me inside, closing it behind me.

"Ayame Azikuria?" The voice asked.

I glanced up at the speaker, somewhat surprised to find a young, ginger-haired man staring back at me. From the conversations both on the phone and throughout the offices, I would have thought the CEO to be more…well…old. But this guy, well, frankly he didn't look old at all; maybe in his twenties, possibly thirties, but definitely not in the age range I had been expecting. Not to mention the…well, I guess they were piercings all over his face, but from this distance I couldn't really tell. "Yes?" I answered, trying to sound confident.

"Take a seat." His hand gestured to the end of the long conference table before me, specifically the chair on the end.

I gulped, attempting to swallow my nerves.

This room, unlike all the rest, was painted a surprising shade of burgundy, with little to no décor (aside from a few plants here or there). Windows lined the wall adjacent to myself, along with a series of projection screens and presentation boards-I guess they really had just finished with a meeting. The majority of the room, however, was taken up by a huge wooden table, of which Pain sat at the end-again, opposite of myself.

"Thank you," I replied, taking a seat. At least the chairs were comfortable…

"I only have five minutes, Miss Azikuria, so let's try to be brief, don't you agree?" Pain asked, glancing up from his watch.

I nodded eagerly, somewhat shocked by the purple shade of his eyes. Did everyone here wear contacts?

"It says here," He gestured to a pile of papers lying before him, "That you graduated from the University of Michigan with a 4.0. Impressive." I smiled. "What degrees?"

"I have an Undergraduate degree in Music Performance and Business, sir, and a Master's in Business-Finance. I did receive a Minor as well, in European Literature and Composition." And now comes the part where he tells me to get out of his office because I'm overqualified…

"Music Performance and Literature? Why those?" He asked, glancing up at me. More importantly, why was he interested?

"Previously, before I switched my major to business, I wanted to be an orchestral clarinet performer. But during my undergraduate studies, I received an injury to my arm which left me unable to hold my instrument. Therefore my instructor told me it would be best to stop playing, before I developed any further damage to my arm." I blushed slightly, no one had really been interested to hear about my injury, but this guy seemed genuinely intrigued. True, it saddened me to talk about what could have been, but it felt good to actually tell someone about it as well. "Personally, I've always been interested in literature; it was a hobby of mine, both in and out of my college years. And during the time of my studies, it was also a requirement for my Business degree, so I felt that I should take the extra classes and minor in that as well."

"So you have recently graduated, then?" He leaned back in his chair, glancing me over. His eyes were definitely purple, and those black dots were most definitely piercings; not the typical image of CEO if you ask me…

-"Yes, this past spring."

"I see," Pain scowled as he racked his brain for more questions. "Have you worked or participated in any internships or abroad programs for a business or office?"

I gulped. Was it just my nerves, or was my throat really this dry? "I took part in a 12 month internship at ANBU Corp., in Lansing."

"I see," Again with the odd responses. "What was it that you did for them, Miss Azikuria?"

"I was on a project board for marketing and sales," I answered. "It was a think-tank of about five or six members, and we headed a particular study which proposed ideas for attracting customers to our franchise."

"Interesting, do you have a reference for this company?" I reached into my folder and pulled out a sheet of references to the past internships and boards I'd been a member of, placing it on the table before me.

"Good." Pain glanced down at his watch, his frown growing. "Unfortunately,"  
I felt my heart skip a beat.  
This is where he tells me they aren't interested, that I'm over-qualified and too young, or that I'm not the right image they have for their company. This is when I leave and go back home, beginning my search over again to which one day I could find someone who would hire me…  
That, or await the day in which I go to jail for being unable to pay my student loans…

"We only have a personal secretary position open. Though you seem to have no experience with a job such as this, I think this particular field you will be working in will appeal to your strengths, be it you wish you enter into our company."

Wait.

If I want to enter the company?

Was he telling me…I got the…  
I got the job?!

"Would you be interested in my offer, Miss Azikuria?" Pain was now standing, crossing the room to stand before me.

"I, uh…"

He raised a finely manicured eyebrow, accompanied by an extended hand. "Your answer, Miss Azikuria? I'm afraid I haven't all day."

I nodded quickly, taking his hand in my own. "Y-yes, definitely!"

"Excellent." Pain stated, glancing down at his watch. "Ah. I'm afraid I must leave, my clients will be unhappy if I'm late to this meeting, but I will see to it that someone shows you to your offices and such, alright?"

I nodded again, verging on giddy. "Yes, sir."

"Good. I'll be sure to meet up with you later." The ginger haired man left through the doors I had entered, calling for someone to come escort me.

.

* * *

.

Wow.  
Was this for real?  
Did I really just nail a job, even a secretary position, with a company like Akatsuki?

There's no way.

I'd applied to places less efficacious than this company, for meager positions and humiliating wages, and yet they had told me that they weren't interested.  
Hah. This will show them.

"Miss Azikuria," Yari, the girl from before, was standing in the doorway, giving me an enthusiastic smile. "If you'll follow me?"

I nodded and retraced our steps back through the office floor, leading us back to the elevator. She stopped, like Shirane, at the doors, putting in a password once inside. "Where are we going?" I asked, stepping in alongside of her.

"To the International Relations offices," Yari stated, pressing the floor number. "Mr. Pain instructed that I was to show you to your suite, and your boss."

I frowned as the elevator began to rise, slowly picking up speed. I didn't know I'd have another boss besides Pain, I'd just assumed the secretary position was for him. Does this mean I needed to do another interview? I mean, that orange haired guy was the CEO, and he said I had the job…Could they still deny me the position if the head of my department didn't like me?  
"Do you know who I will be working for?"

The woman scowled as she racked her mind for the name, "Uhm, I believe it's Mr. Uchiha who runs that part of the company," She ran a hand through her dark black hair before going on. For some reason she seemed hesitant to divulge any other information. "But I'm not for sure."

I nodded; trying desperately to calm the nerves that had began to stir from within my stomach.  
What if they told me to go home, before I could tell Kiame that I had actually gotten a job? What if I actually did get the position, but I hated the people I worked with?  
Or they hated me?  
Ugh, that would be so annoying…  
The elevator began to slow, coming to a hault by a floor which blinked the numbers 5 and 8; were there really that many offices in this tower? "Here we are." Yari smiled, stepping out onto the black tile floor.

Like the rooms I had seen before it, this place looked similar (at least in terms of the white walls and black floors), but the ceiling was tall, surprisingly so for the location, anyway. There wasn't a chandelier in the center, like there had been in the welcoming area, but there were striking splashes of red throughout the room, which caught my attention from the otherwise normal looking decor. Red rugs, red vases, red paintings; someone clearly had a favourite colour.

I followed after Yari, trying not to make eye contact with the attractive secretaries at the front desk; were there really sets of them at every floor?  
Would I have to dress like that to work here…?

"Oi, who's this?"

I glanced up, almost running into, the now stationary, Yari.  
A man, around 6 foot tall, was standing before us, glancing down at me with a grin on his face.

Now, I'm not really one to stare, I mean…It's kind of rude, especially in a situation like this (I'll have to work with these people, after all), but…this guy, I swear his skin was…yeah, it was definitely blue. It wasn't even even like the sickly blue that you see on the elderly or shut-ins, but…for real, no doubt about it, blue.  
Plus the…creepy, beady, yellow eyes; were there even pupils in there? "Who's this girl?" He asked again, pointing a large, and fully manicured (not to mention painted), finger towards me.

I scowled, not really amused by the way he called me _girl_. "This is Ayame," Yari stated, speaking up before I could reply. "She's going to take the secretary position for this floor."

"Ayame?" The man grimaced, troubled by the sound of my name (apparently). "Are you American?"

The scowl deepened. "Yes, I am, as I always have been."

"Odd name for someone from the US." He stated, taking a step closer to me. "Family?"

This guy was just being nosy now. Why did his voice have to sound so creepy? "My mother was Japanese, if you must know."

Yari stepped between the blue man and myself, holding out her hands in a defensive manner. "Mr. Kisame, I'm sorry, but I have orders from Pain to show this girl around before his meeting is through." She gestured to the long hallway behind him. "She still needs to meet Mr. Uchiha."

The man, apparently named Kisame, grinned wildly. "All be it of me to interrupt this girl from her little tour." He looked down at me and laughed as he passed by us. "Have fun."

Yari sighed as the blue man left from our line of sight. "I'm really sorry about that."

I tried to wave her apology off, but the smile I made felt insincere after the scowls I'd been holding from before. "It's fine." I stated, for added reassurance.

"Really," Yari slumped her shoulders as she started walking down the hallway, guiding me towards Mr. Uchiha's office. "Mr. Kisame isn't all that bad, but he enjoys harassing all of the new employees."

"Sounds nice." I mumbled, earning a giggle from my guide.

"Yeah," The dark-haired girl before me sighed as we continued through another series of well-trimmed hallways, coming to a hault before, yet another, large set of doors.

"I'm guessing this is his office?" I asked.  
Why did all of the departments have to be like large dungeons, with these enormous castle doors and long hallways? Did they all have a power complex?

Yari nodded as she knocked on the door, earning her a sharp reply from within. "Enter."

The dark-haired girl pulled open the doors, "I have brought the new prospective secretary Pain has interviewed." She stated, "He said for me to bring her here to meet you."

There was a long silence before the voice answered. "Send her in."

Yari hurried me inside, closing the door behind me as I came into full view of this man's office. Unlike all of the other rooms I'd seen, this one was almost completely made of windows, the only wall being that of the one I'd emerged from. The floor was wooden, with the only carpet being the one under both my feet and the man's desk. The room seemed incredibly modern to me; sleek furniture, appliances (a coffee set-up to my right), and minimalistic artwork; it was more welcoming. Why was this office so much different than all of the rest?

"Are you just going to stand there or are you actually going to enter?" The man snapped, not bothering to look up from the paperwork on his desk.

I scowled, forcing myself further into the room. I may have made a good impression with the CEO, but it looks like I'll be working under an asshole here; great. "I'm Ayame," I managed to choke out, coming to a hault by his desk. I really hope I won't have to wear heels everyday...not with all of these nice floors...

"Yes, I know," He sighed heavily as he looked up from his work; meeting me eye to eye.

Holy.

Fuck.

I'm screwed.  
I'm sooooo screwed.

There goes every chance I _EVER _had at getting this job.

Every hope, every dream; crushed.

"Ah," I winced as his voice broke through our uncomfortable silence. If this man's temperament hadn't of been venomous before, well, it was acidic now. "The girl with the coffee."

So much for that first impression…

.

* * *

**AN; Thank you guys again for reading! :D I appreciate every review, fav, and follow! :D Hopefully I'll have another chapter up for you guys soon...**

_**SilverWolfMaiden; Lololol, I know. XD No longer will she walk and drink coffee...hahaha, especially now. Thanks! XD I'm glad you gigglesnorted XD  
It's no problem. :D She will be included again as the story continues, definitely, lololol. I shall definitely continue! XD**_

**_SabinxItachi; Thank you so much! :D_**

**_Guest; Thanks! :D Here do be the update...;D_**

**Happy Holidays to all! :D**

**~Aria**


	4. Chapter 3: Late

**AN: And so I return...O.O"...I know it's been a long time...a little too long, I know...I'd like to start by apologizing for my lateness...lol, I've had a lot going on in terms of personal life, school, among other things, and unfortunately stayed caught up in all of that for a little longer that I would have liked...I'd like to say that it's all over and I will be updating more frequently, but, I really don't know if I can say that with 100% confidence that it will actually happen...:( But I'll try!**

**So, without further adieu, the new chapter! :D**

**_(Disclaimer;_ I do not own Naruto nor any of the characters therein, I do own Kiame and Ayame, however.)**  
**.**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Late**

.

"So he knew it was you, right off the bat?" My longtime friend, and college roommate, Naru asked, tipping back her glass of_ Bacardi_ as she spoke.

I sighed as I leaned against our bar table, trying to keep my spirits from falling. I wish just one day could go as I hoped it would…today would have been nice, for instance. I mean, at least I have a job; but a boss that wasn't a total ass would be better than having to put up with that arrogant guy for the rest of the year. A chorus of yells broke me from my thoughts-this pub was busier than I remember…"Yeah, so you can just imagine how the interview went after that."

Naru shook her head, causing her sandy blonde hair to bob around her face. She'd changed since I'd last saw her (even though that was just over 2 months ago); her hair was shorter, much shorter, and was almost pixie cut if it weren't for the bangs she now kept swept over the left of her cheek. She still wore the same silver-rimmed, circular glasses, which would have reminded me of my own be it I wore mine permanently. Behind the glasses, she had blue eyes, again, like myself, but they were more of a green than a blue-it really depended on lighting, I suppose. "So what'd you do?" She chuckled, pushing my drink back toward me.

"If you think getting me drunk will make the story come out, well, it won't." I laughed at her, though nonetheless taking a mouthful of the beverage she'd passed my way.

Naru's laugh grew louder. "It was worth a try."

"Hey!"

I glanced up, surprised that someone's yell could overpower the roar of the bar and crowd, but rolled my eyes upon realizing it was my _oh so_ endearing sister; of course she could drown out the noise of a pub; it was Kiame we were talking about here. She came strolling up, brown hair flaring wildly behind her, as she took my blonde haired best friend in a large, sibling like hug. "I didn't know you'd be here!" She exclaimed, pulling back long enough to glance over her outfit. It was a simple vested top, with matching jeans and a embellished hoodie beneath. "And girl, you look hot!"

Naru blushed as she once again took her seat, waving away my sister's comment. She looked as if she were about to verbally protest, or maybe play off of the statement (Naru liked to do things like that) but I butted in before she got the chance. "Why are you dressed like that?" I stated, taking into account my own sister's attire.

Kiame glanced down at her, incredibly tight and uncomfortably revealing, emerald dress and contrasting rust coloured jacket, looking slightly hurt-though I knew that to be a lie. "What's wrong with it?" She asked, glancing back up at me.

"Nothing," I shrugged, turning my playful look into a dark glare. "So long as I don't have an army of suitors staying at my apartment later. I do want to sleep sometime before work tomorrow."

Kiame rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at me, "Has anyone ever told you you're mean when you're drunk?"

Again, I shrugged her off, well, before she realized exactly what I'd said; then I couldn't get her to let go of me. "I can't believe you actually nailed the interview!" Kiame squealed, a little too close to my ear. Since when did she get this strong? "I'm so proud of you! I knew you could do it!"

Naru laughed as she called the bartender over for more drinks, "I don't know if making her boss want to fire her on the first day really counts as '_nailing it_.'"

Kiame's grip on me loosened, just enough for her to look me in the eye. "What is she talking about, Ayame?" Her happy green eyes were narrowed, staring me over; searching for an explanation. Ahhh, great, now she's mad at me.  
What's up with all of these mood swings?

I smiled, a little forced, as I pushed her away, attempting to come up with a response, when I noticed the last of our party strolling up to join us. Both my sister and Naru turned to see the girl's I was now gesturing to, recognition beaming on their faces. "Claire, Serrah!" (I'd have to thank them for their timed arrival later…)

Sisters (well, twins…(fraternal, not identical like Kiame and myself)), Claire and Serrah, grinned as they saw our group welcoming them to the table. They had changed too; was everyone going through a make-over this season?

Claire's once long brown hair was now chopped and layered in a series of dyed auburn strands, extending and resting just above her shoulders. Serrah's hair was relatively the same, brown and straight, but she too had also swapped length for the shorter shoulder-do. Both girl's were relatively the same height, a short 5' 3", but with the shoes they both wore I'd wager they were now around 5'4-5'5. Claire wore her signature leather jacket (the cold was reminding me of how much I missed my own…If only I could have kept ahold of my coffee…), with a black V-neck shirt and matching cargo pants beneath; in contrast, her sister, Serrah, wore a jean jacket (man was it cold here…), with a stylish purple hoodie and (again) jeans that matched her coat. Their brown, lens clad eyes met mine as they both took their seats alongside of us. "How have you guys been?" I asked, hoping Kiame had forgotten about Naru's statement from earlier.

"Good," Claire responded, folding her arms on the table. "Well, getting ready for a recital now, but yeah..."

"Oh," Kiame spoke up this time. "That's right, I remember you mentioning that last week. (Sometimes I forgot that my sister was still in college herself…) When is it again?"

"October 21st," She responded, smiling, "I was meaning to invite all of you to come listen, if you want to, that is..."

"I will," I grinned, nudging Naru, "And we will all be there too."

Claire nodded, giving her sister a sudden nudge. "Tell them what you've been up to?"

Serrah glanced up, surprised, then somewhat frustrated, before she sighed, trying to hide her discomfort. "Well, uhm…I just submitted a few rough drafts to some publishers…" She glanced back down at her lap. Both of the girl's spoke softly, more so than what'd you normally hear (not that I really minded), but sometimes it was a little hard to hear them…especially in a room such as this. "But I haven't heard anything back from them yet."

Naru chuckled, "You will! You just sent them out a few weeks ago, right?"

Serrah looked up and nodded, "Last Tuesday."

"You'll hear back soon," I chimmed in, trying to give a reassuring smile. "No need to worry."

"Tonight we party!" Kiame yelled, clanking her, now empty, glass on the table. "A night of celebration and success! To us girls!"

I rolled my eyes, putting my beverage in the air. The others did so as well, clinking glasses together and cheering softly. "To us."

"So," Naru rounded on me as she passed another drink in my direction. Her bright eyes were gleaming with evil intentions-either that, or a small buzz; it was sort of hard to tell at this point. "We all want to hear about this interview, Ayame."

The eye roll came again. Just when I thought she had forgotten… "No, you really don't…"

"Yeah we do," Claire stated, smiling, "Kiame told us a little, but we didn't get to hear the whole story."

I glanced over at my sister, who was grinning back at me with a forced kindness; she really is something else. "Thanks, Kia."

She chuckled, "Anytime."

"Ahhh, come on and tell us already!" Naru pouted, blowing a tuft of her hair from her eyes. "You've had me waiting all night!" She emphasized her pout by sticking her lip out further; wonder where she learned that trick from….Kiame….?

I took a long draught of my drink and released a content sigh as the alcohol began to burn throughout my body; there wouldn't be any getting out of this now…I had the whole team rounded on me… "Fine, fine." The group seemed giddy as they all turned to give their attention to me (well, me and their beverages). "What do you want to know?"

"The beginning!" Serrah stated, "We didn't get to hear the whole thing yet!"

"Alright," I sighed and began to speak…"Earlier today I got a call back from a company I'd applied to a few weeks ago." I explained, "I'm sure you're all familiar with Akatsuki Enterprises?"

A few in the group nodded, seeming surprised; a callback to me was like winning the lottery, at least they understood.

"Alright, well, they called. I answered, and it turns out I actually managed to get an interview for this afternoon. So, I told Kiame, and **of course**," I gestured to my sister with my eyes, which made her grin in return-she felt no shame. "She wanted to pick out my clothes. Well, the things I'd already had in my closet weren't **good** enough, so she decided we should go shopping; a few hours before I had to leave for my interview."

"All of your clothes were messed up," She huffed, pouting slightly.

I continued on, rolling my eyes. "So, because _**all of my clothes were messed up**_, we went shopping. I, having been up early this morning and haven't eaten-up to this point, anyway, decided we should get a cup of coffee while we were out. So, we stopped at the little shop around main," They all nodded intently, if there was anything my friends loved more than their respective college studies, it was coffee; and if there was anything they knew more than coffee, well, they knew where to find the best, and this place we went to just happened to be that.

Claire sighed, taking a mouthful of her drink. "I feel like I know where this is going…"

I nodded, again, continuing. "So, off we went; coffee in hand, and on a mission to find quality, _affordable,_ dress-clothes. We start walking, gazing around at the shops and such," I waved my hands to gesture exactly what I meant, "When Kiame took ahold of my hand, dragging me down the sidewalk. I didn't really think much of it, since Kiame does this all the time-"

"No I don't." My sister huffed, pointing a finger at me.

"Yes, you do." I stated, waving her away. "So, here I am, being dragged along," I moved my hands again, trying to illustrate my point, "When this person suddenly walks out of the shop that we had just previously gazed into the window of. Kiame veers, missing whomever was **stupid** enough to get in the way, but, I-"

"Ahhhh…" Naru sighed, giving me a look of sympathy. "You hit them didn't you?"

Fighting the urge to hide my face, I nodded, earning a series of gasps and empathetic gazes from my entourage. "So you can just imagine how wonderfully that panned out…" I sighed (how many times had I done that tonight?) "Turns out the guy was my new boss…When I fell on him, I covered us both in scalding coffee, and, well…he had apparently been on the phone with some Japanese corporation trying to solidify a company deal, which…incidentally…never went through….because I…probably…broke his phone when I landed on him."

"Wow…" Claire mumbled.

"Yeah," Naru chuckled a little, not the reaction I expected. "You really fucked that one up."

"I know," I grumbled, drinking the last of my rum. "And my boss has made it a personal vendetta to ensure I never forget about it...so, yay…"

"Well," Kiame slammed her glass down and called to the bartender, whom began to prepare us another round. "The past is in the past, today, we celebrate the fact that you got a job, we celebrate _'s upcoming recital, _'s-hopeful-book, maybe even series, and togetherness!" The shots previously ordered were brought to the table, right on cue, "To us!"

I laughed, of course Kiame could lighten the mood, it was her forte after all. "To us."

.

* * *

.

I woke the next morning, groggier and in considerably more pain than usual. When did we get back home?...I glanced around the room, still dark from the evening, taking in the shadows of my friends laying in various places along the floor. Someone must have guided me to my bedroom at some time during in the night, that or we all just decided to pass out in here…Which reminds me…just how much did I end up drinking last night..?

Ahhh…A headache started to pound its way into my head; thinking definitely wasn't helping right now…man, I really regretted doing all of that…I sighed, well, if I didn't feel like shit now, I would at….oh…..

OH

_Ohhhhhhh_ FUCK  
….

Throwing whatever pathetic means of coverage I'd had on myself throughout the night, I lunged from-what I guess to be-my bed, and made haste for the bathroom, careful not to trip over my friends bodies. If I thought my boss would give me hell about the coffee situation, well, I had a feeling he would only make it worse if I were late on the first day of work…Turning the knobs and whistles to their appropriate positions, I jumped into the shower, relieved when the steaming hot water rolled over my sticky and beverage covered skin.

Taking time to scrub my hair (thoroughly seeing as it was definitely smelly), and washing my body, I figured I had only spent around 10 minutes in and out of the cleaning vesicle (shower, if you want to call it that too…)-good timing, in my opinion. Maybe I could make up for some of my lost time and make it to work before he noticed I was late…Here's to hoping…

Tossing a towel around my still damp body, I ran back into my room (again, careful for my friends bodies), searching through my closet for something presentable to wear. I settled on a pair of plain gray trousers (Kiame insisted on these at the store the other day), a black peasant top, and similarly colored heels (again, she insisted); it would have to do.

I darted back to the bathroom, furiously scrubbing my mouth with toothpaste and mouthwash, all I needed was for someone to smell my breath and think me an alcoholic…Once done with my mouth, I brushed out my still incredibly wet hair, threw on a small layer of foundation, and made for the door.  
Ah, what a start to the first day…

.

* * *

.

Traffic, as usual, was bad around this time in the morning, like I figured it would be. Detroit was a business city after all, it was to be expected, still…it didn't really help my souring mood to sit in the said traffic all morning…

"Miss Azikuria," I glanced up from the floor, surprised to find that I was now standing in the foyer of the main tower. "Good morning." I blurted, to no one in particular.

Shirane, my guide from yesterday, was seated at her welcoming desk, grinning, and possibly holding back a laugh, "Good morning to you as well. You know, you're running a little late," This time she did chuckle, gesturing up to the large clock mounted on the wall above her.

The scowl from my drive reappeared…so did the headache. Great. "Ah, yeah. I was caught in traffic…"

Shirane moved from her place around the desk and came to stand alongside me, manicured hand outstretched. "You probably don't remember all of the floors you need to take; how about I show you to your office?"

I nodded and began to follow her, taking a mental sigh of relief. It's a good thing she offered to show me the way; otherwise I would have been wandering around this building forever…  
We took the same passage as the other day, hallways, offices, etc, before we settled in front of the elevator doors. "So, I'm guessing Mr. Uchiha doesn't really tolerate tardiness?"

Shirane chuckled, sarcastically, but gave me a look of empathy soon after. Great. "Something along those lines," She sighed, "He was already in a bad mood whenever he came in this morning, he didn't even take his morning coffee the girl's bought him. So, who knows what he will be like when you get there."

Again, the scowl. "Oh boy…Just what I needed..."

"It's alright." Shirane gave me a smile, patting me lightly on the shoulder. "He can't really fire you on the first day."

I nodded, knowing that could very well not be true. "What time does he normally come in the office?" I asked, looking for something to break the silence. Granted I would normally enjoy said quiet, as would my growing headache, but I needed to find out his schedule…at least if I hoped to avoid situations like this again…

The snow-haired girl shook her head. "It depends on whether or not he even leaves the office at all. But, I suppose if he does go home, it's around 7, or on rare occasion 8, that he comes in the next morning." She glanced up at me as we entered the elevator, giving me a wry smile. "Are you hoping to make up for this morning?"

I made mental note of the keys Shirane pressed into elevator key pad, ensuring I would be able to find my way be it I found myself in this situation again, and shook my head. "No, but if I know his hours, at least I know what time to set my alarm for in the mornings (or gauge whether or not I should accept an offer from my friends to go out drinking on a work-night…which I probably won't be doing again)."

My guide chuckled again, gesturing to the now open elevator doors, "In that case, I hope you have a wonderful first day, Ms. Azikuria, and many more to follow."

I gave a small bow as I stepped out onto the floor, gracious for her help. "Thank you."

"Ms. Azikuria?"  
I turned-from the now closing elevator-to find a lean, model-like woman standing before me; one of my bosses assistants, no doubt. She had long, silky blonde hair and a narrow, foxlike face that was now twisted into that of a, very rehearsed and annoyed, welcome-it made me a little uncomfortable. Her clothes were exquisite-however-tight, and tailored just for her small-body type, and all painted in that of bright cream colour. "Ms. Azikuria?" She asked again, a little more forcefulness in her voice than before.

A twinge of anger hit me at her tone; I really wasn't in the mood for this. "Yes."

"You're late." She stated, clicking an earpiece-which I had failed to notice until now-on her ear. The anger I'd just felt a moment ago? Yeah, that was now growing. "Yes, Mr. Uchiha." Oh great… I completely forgot that I'd still have to deal with him. "Yes, she's right here…Yes, I'll call them…Yes, she is…I'm bringing her in now." She glanced back up to me, her welcoming smile becoming stretched and fake. "If you'll follow me, Miss."

I swallowed the nerves, which I hadn't even known were there, back down and followed the woman to the room I'd been introduced to yesterday. "He's waiting for you inside."

I nodded, not even bothering to say thank-you, and walked into his office, immediately regretting my decision.

My boss wasn't sitting at his desk like I'd presumed him to be-like he had been yesterday-he was standing in front of it, taping his fingers on the tabletop in slow, painfully calculated rhythms. I felt myself swallow a little harder than usual… "That's odd," His voice was calmer than I thought it would have been, but it still sounded cold and uninviting. His dark, charcoal coloured eyes suddenly glanced me over, narrowing when they met back with my own blue ones. "I figured, since you are as late as you are, you happened upon an accident on your way into work. Did you?"

It took me a second to process what he'd said, but eventually I shook my head no. "Ah, well, was there some sort of family trouble then? Or car trouble, perhaps?"

"No." I snapped, suddenly seeing where this was going.

His hand began to tap a little slower than before. "Hmm, then do explain to me why you are late, then, Ms. Azikuria. And do," He gestured to one of the chairs he had seated before him, for clients, I presume, "Come in and take a seat."

I scowled and slowly made my way across the room, placing myself-with a little more force than necessary-within the chair he had gestured for me. Suddenly I felt like I was back in school, seated before the principal after doing something wrong, or defending my sister, after she had done something wrong… Needless to say, I didn't really like the feeling…neither did my headache.

Mr. Uchiha made his way from the front of his desk to his own chair, carefully unbuttoning his suit jacket before taking a seat. Today, he wore a white shirt, black shoes, and grey tie with matching jacket and slacks; not really colours I imagined him to wear, shades black or blue seemed to be more of his thing. "Why are you late." He stated, not really asking.

"I ran into some traffic this morning." I answered, trying not to let my anger get the better of me.

"As did I," He quipped. "Yet I was here on time."

"And yet you're here before me."

"Yet I'm here before you."

His dark black eyes didn't waver; they simply stared at me, waiting for me to answer. I scowled. Was he really just going to sit here hounding me about this all morning? Frankly, I wasn't in the mood to hear it, both my headache and my mood didn't really have the patience for it. "Look" I snapped. "I'm sorry I was late, and I will try to do better next time, but I really don't think you need to know the logistics." He opened his mouth, to retort I suppose, but again, I cut him off. "Whether or not you're my boss, my private life is my business. If you need my cause of tardiness written up, then I will be happy to do so; but I promise I won't be back if that's how you treat a simple misunderstanding in a business such as this."

Mr. Uchiha stared at me, not really saying anything.  
In a way, it felt really good to be able to finally tell _someone_ off, I felt it stewing all morning, but it just had to be…well…him…and I just _HAD _to threaten to quit…on the first _bloody _day…Great...

"I'm really tempted to fire you right now," My heart suddenly dropped…what did he say? I...Don't get me wrong, I expected that to make him mad, but...Fire?...on…on the first day? T-That has to be some sort of record, right? The black haired man sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "…Do you know how to make coffee?"

I glanced up at him, shocked. "W-what?"

Mr. Uchiha sighed, again, stressing the words for extra emphasis. "I know you like to drink coffee, at least from first-hand experience," I winced at the memory, "But do you know _how to make_ _it_."

I blushed slightly, standing from my seat. "Y-yeah."

"Unless you really meant what you said, and you intend to quit, then disregard what I just asked. Otherwise, I take it black. Go make me some…please."

.

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**AN: Lol, I felt like the chapter title fit my not updating situation appropriately...If anyone noticed that...lol...**

**SOOOOOOOOOO...**

**Thank you to BeatriceParadisio, The _Guest_ Reviewer, SilverWolfMaiden, and others for both Reviewing, favoriting, or following this story D": It means so much to me! **

**BeatriceParadisio; You wrote such lovely reviews...D": Thank you again, and I really appreciate the constructive statements, I'll try to work some of them in as I continue writing both this story and more to follow. :D Maybe even change some formatting in the following chapters or something...lol. But really, I cannot thank you enough for the kind words! :D hugglez to you, my friend!**

**_Guest;_ I'm going to try my best! O.O lol**

**To my college buddies; I hope you liked the references to you guys in there...XD lol, and to the twins, I hope you liked the FF XIII names...XD **

**.**

**Thank you again to all for reading, favoriting, reviewing, or following, once more, they mean the world to me! :D more updates shall be coming in the future! Feel free to comment with some things I may need to improve, etc!**

**Happy Spring!**

**-Aria**


	5. Chapter 4: Instructions

**AN: Hi everyone! :D Man have I been gone for awhile...again. But uhm, I'll let you guys get to this chapter, and I'll write a little more at the end! :D Enjoy!**

**I do not own Naruto, just Ayame. :3**

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**Chapter 4: Instructions  
.**

I sighed as I opened my bosses' office door, careful not to spill his precious coffee, and my own for that matter…I didn't really want another experience like I did during our first meeting… (Man, has it already been an eventful morning…) "You made yourself some?" He asked on my entry, taking notice of the additional cup I was now carrying.

"Yeah," I stated, handing him his own. "Do you normally take it black?"

He continued glancing at my own glass, as if he were going to make some other mention of it, but decided against it. "Yes, on rare occasion I like cream," He clicked a few things on his computer screen before continuing, "Hazelnut and such."

"That's my favourite." I stated, taking a sip of my own scalding beverage.

He did the same then stood, as if remembering something. "I have yet to show you to your office." Until he had mentioned it, I had completely forgotten that I would have some sort of office; that's cool I guess, at least I wouldn't have to work in the same room as everyone else.

He gestured for me to follow. I did (again, careful with the coffee), to a door just to the left of his office; I'd failed to see that during my first visit here…I guess for good reason…  
He opened it, and began walking down a long, window enclosed hallway. I glanced around, awestricken by the gorgeous view of the cities skyscrapers and buildings, the sun rising, shining. I have to give this company props, they picked a great part of town for their residence, not to mention all of the thoughtful architecture, and—"Ms. Azikuria," I glanced up to see Mr. Uchiha standing near the opposite end of the walkway, looking somewhat annoyed.

I cleared my throat (trying to play off my embarrassment) and hurried to meet him, again, careful with the coffee.

"I will email you a list of work that needs to be done today," He began, "All of it must be completed before you leave, and I would prefer for it to be finished by 5, or possibly earlier." I nodded as he continued, "Most of clients and their information have been placed in a series of files in your office. If I email or contact you through your headset for it, I expect it to be brought promptly; I need them for meetings, and I don't have time to waste. Also, they are there for your convenience, if I say I need them to be contacted, again, do so promptly." Again, I nodded.

"When I have meetings, both domestic and abroad, I expect you to attend, and take notes. There is a current schedule of events in your email as well to tell you of those dates and such, so please take the liberty of reminding yourself of when these are." He paused for understanding, again, a nod. Promptness must be a pet peeve of his…"If I have any further instructions, I will also contact you. As for how to do your work, I recommend using your cataloging services and such, but there is also an email to help guide you through it."

"Okay," I stated, trying to absorb everything he had said (good thing my headache was starting to go away…).

"I'll come get you for lunch." He stated, walking back towards his office.

I opened my mouth to protest, or at least say something to his comment, but he'd already left by the time I'd registered what he'd said. Sighing, I opened my office door, shocked, again, by the appearance. Upon entry I noticed that, like Mr. Uchiha's office (I really needed to figure out this man's first name…), I had a large window covered wall (though mine didn't quite take up the entirety of the room like his had…). I was immediately grateful for that; at least I wouldn't feel like I'm enclosed or trapped… I took a step inside, instantly noticing the click of my heels on the freshly cleaned wooden floors-again, another perk that matched his; that was an instant plus. There was a lack of décor, in terms of all of the red I had seen in the other rooms and offices, but I appreciated the simplicity of my own.

In the center of the room sat a large white desk with an equally white monitor and keyboard; other little things like pencils holders and file containers also adorned its surface. Bookshelves and filing cabinets covered the remainder of the walls, so I couldn't really tell if the room actually had a colour or not; again, I appreciated. All and all, this office was better than my house; I think I could get used to working here.

Closing the door behind me, I made my way over to the desk, placing my coffee to the side of the mouse. Clicking on the monitor, I found that my email, company email anyway, had already been brought up, revealing the several informative messages my boss had mentioned from before. I scrolled through, searching for the oldest one, and clicked:

**From: Itachi Uchiha  
To: Ayame Azikuria **

_**I'm sure I have already made you aware of some of the things you will be required to do as my assistant. As for details, or some things you may be wishing to ask me, here is an email containing some of the logistics.  
**__  
_So his name is Itachi, hunh? I suppose that suits him, it sounds foreign though…I wonder if he's from America…?

_**Your headset, which I recommend you have on at all times, is located to the left of your desk.**_

I glanced around in the location he'd informed me of, finding the small earpiece I'd seen other employees adorning. It was quite intricate from the looks of it, receiver and speaker-small, sleek; clicking it on, I placed it into my ear and continued reading.

_**Please remember to turn your headset off before you leave your office. They do have rechargeable batteries, but be it they were to malfunction or wear from overuse, our IT department would have to put in more hassle than it's worth to get them working again. Again, time wasted. **_

Noted.

_**Work hours begin from 7, though some of our offices open at 8; again, my department starts at 7. You may leave when your work has been completed and you have assisted me with what work I have asked you to do, though normally expect to be here until at least 5pm.  
Sick days, or vacation days, may be discussed with me in an email or a phone call. **_

_**As my assistant, I require that you keep a positive light within society. Akatsuki is a large company, and the International Relations Department has a lot of friends, in a lot of places; in short, I do not want the hassle of trying to clean up after my assistant, so do try to take care of yourself. While we are on the subject, slandering or sharing of Akatsuki information is strictly banned and punishable. If you were found divulging company secrets to another, you will be most definitely fired, and fined. Immensely so.**_

Again, noted.

_**The left of your wall is used for clientele information; please refer to that for assigned jobs. The right wall is used for books and particular studies I keep on file for both record, myself, and client; take care of them. The back wall is used, again, for clientele and also for completed files. When you finish a paperwork job, please place it here so one of the floor managers may pick it up when you leave for the day. **_

_**In the next email, I have included a calendar of events, be sure to place these somewhere where you may keep them in sight at all times; there are no excuses for missing a meeting, and I expect you to keep to this rule. **_

_**Stay vigilant of your email; I will send more jobs to you throughout the day. **_

_**Welcome to the company.**_

_**CEO of International Relations; Akatsuki Ent. **_

_**Itachi Uchiha**_

I sighed at the lengthy email, that was quite a bit of information, and that was only one of the eight he'd already sent me. Man, I'd be here all day just putting up notes and little reminders of things I needed to do…

.

* * *

.

With the help of my coffee fueled energy, I managed to scroll through the remainder of my mail, taking notes and record of where everything was to be placed, when it would happen, etc. The last email, the newest one I'd read, was information on how to get started on my work, and it was by far the longest of all…How to address a phone call, when to forward a phone call, _how _to forward a phone call, who not to forward a phone call to, who to answer, who not; yeah, 90% of the email consisted of that, only with a difference in situation (email, phone, in person, etc)._**  
**_  
I sighed as I leaned back in my chair, it was already close to noon and I hadn't even started on my actual assignments, I've just been going through instructions and mountains of emails…It was a good thing I was feeling better, otherwise I wouldn't of even had that much done.

Taking another drink of coffee (I was now on my third cup of the day…), I leaned back into my computer, starting up the application for contacting the company's clients. So, from what I could tell from the emails, my job was to contact the list of clientele that Itachi would forward me each morning, and depending on the little icon by their names, either call them, email them, or ask the for a meeting. It sounded easy enough, at first…

From there, I would discuss with each person what the statement following their name listed, and that could range from a wide variety of things; how are our stocks, meet me on "_" date and let's discuss that proposition you forwarded me, you have an idea you want me to invest in- then let's meet and discuss that, you want that industry to start making different products-then tell me details and let me research it. And, depending on what exactly the statements said, I could either accept their offers, forward them to Itachi for evaluation, or I could just turn them away completely. Then, if someone were to send me offers and we _didn't_ have their names on file, not only would I have to research their company and investments, I would also have to evaluate their offers, the numbers, benefits and consequences of their proposal, and present them all to Itachi and his board before we could even discuss making a decision. It was an important job, I suppose, and a very time consuming one at that.

I sighed again. I haven't even started working yet and I already felt exhausted…

"Ayame," I jumped, nearly falling out of my chair; thankfully, both myself (and my coffee), managed to stay in their respective areas, avoiding disaster.

I glanced up, trying to calm my breathing, and was surprised to see Itachi standing at my office door, his suit jacket on and buttoned. "Y-Yeah?"

He quirked an eyebrow at me (apparently scaring someone half-to-death was humorous to him), "I've been paging you for nearly twenty minutes, is your earpiece not working?"

I took the small device out of my ear, inspecting it. "It looks fine; it has the little light on and everything." I tried flicking its power switch a few times, "It's not dead, at least?"

Itachi sighed, "Well, leave it on your desk; I'll get someone from IT to look at it while we're gone."

"Gone?"

"Yes," He stated, again, giving me a look of disbelief (If I keep this up he's going to fire me for stupidity, not attitude…). "It's lunch hour, and I told you earlier that you would be going with me." Itachi gestured to the hallway before him, "Get your things and come on, I have meetings to take care of when we get back."

"W-wait," I stood, making sure to grab my purse from the back of my chair, "Why do I have to go with you?"

Itachi didn't reply as I approached him, he just began walking, looking rather annoyed at the whole ordeal. I scowled, in his emails I couldn't get him to stop bossing me around, now he couldn't even be bothered answer me.

Well, if he wouldn't answer that question, maybe…"Do I need to attend these meetings with you?"

"I'd prefer if you did," He stated, stepping out into the elevator lobby. In comparison to my new office, this room felt oddly enclosed and blank-despite any preconceived notion from this morning. The groups of girl's working behind the welcoming counter all bowed to Itachi as he passed, but he didn't bother to respond; he didn't even look at them. Well, at least he's rude to everyone, not just me. "Attending a meeting might help you realize exactly what you will be working with. I don't expect you to understand everything we discuss, or contribute, for that matter, but yeah. It will be good for you."

I scowled, following him into the elevator. He was definitely all about business. "So,"

Itachi pressed a series of number then glanced back at me, just as the elevator started to move. "So?"

"Uhm," I swept my hair away from my eyes, trying to think of something to break the awkward silence I'd created. Everything I said just came across as annoying questions…"Will anyone be joining us?"

"No."

-"Ah…okay."

Well, so much for trying to break that silence.  
The elevator came to a hault, a little slower than it seemed to this morning. Itachi left first, again, disregarding the girl's at the welcoming desk. I tried to search for Shirane as we walked by, but she didn't seem to be there; that or we passed by too quickly for me to tell.

"Mr. Uchiha," I glanced back to my boss, nearly walking into his, now stationary, form. Good thing I turned around when I did, otherwise I would have knocked him to the floor…again.  
A man (standing at least another foot or so above me), towered before us, completely clad in a black suit and a tiny little…cap? It that what that thing was on his head?.. He was a little too tall for me to tell…at least without asking for him to bend over.

"Nox, good afternoon." Itachi stated, giving the man a nod of recognition.

"Are you ready, Mr. Uchiha?" He asked. The tone of his voice surprised me, I didn't think-at least until now-that someone had a voice that could be as low and quiet as his; he was even softer than the twin's, and that was saying something.

Itachi nodded, then glanced back to me, as if suddenly remembering I was there. Stepping aside so the man before us, Nox I guess was his name, could see me (not that it'd be that hard at that height…), he replied, "Yes. This, Nox, is my new assistant, Ayame, she will be joining us today."

Nox bowed to me, low and respectfully deep, (do people still do that?) "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Ayame; I am Nox, Mr. Uchiha's servant."

What? Did this guy just say servant? Really? Itachi needed bloody servants? "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Nox." I stated, not really knowing what else to say. The whole ordeal was beginning to make me feel uncomfortable…

Itachi stepped forward, gesturing towards the door. "If we may, I have a short lunch this afternoon."

"My apologies, sir," Nox stepped in front of us, bowing and turning to now point us in the direction of a….well….I guess you could call it a car, though I've never really seen a car that looked quite as intricate and…expensive, as this one. I pushed my way through the front entrance, walking over to investigate the vehicle before me. "What is this thing?"

Itachi walked around to the opposite side of me, closely followed by Nox who was now doing the same, except he was taking that of the driver's seat (could he even fit in this tiny thing?..). "Get in," The Uchiha stated, doing so himself.

I did as I was told, closing the door shut behind me; I don't know what I did to nail this job, but I really hope I can keep it, especially if I could one day get a car as nice as this one…"It's an experimental vehicle our company has been working on for a few years." Itachi stated, gesturing around to different points in the vehicle. Nox started the engine and pulled out of our makeshift parking place, taking us towards our mysterious destination. "Pain gave each of the CEO's a prototype to test before launching their release, more or less, it was a gift."

"A very expensive gift…" I mumbled, glancing around at the interior. Each set of seats were coated in fine black leather, all sewn together with bright red thread. I suppose to one the little splash of colour may look gaudy, especially in a car such as this, but I think it really fit the overall design; besides, this company seemed to have a thing for red and black. I suppose the car itself could be compared to that of a Ferrari, but it was actually a four door car as opposed to two, not to mention the fact that it had a backseat; and a very spacious one at that. "Is it electric?" I asked, glancing up to the driver's pit.

Nox gave me a nod, "Yes, madam, it is. Mr. Uchiha and his associates work diligently on environmentally safe products, this car just so happens to be an example."

I couldn't help but smile at the respect Nox seemed to have for Itachi, it was odd, I suppose, but he must really like working for him. It sort of reminded me of a childlike reverence, cute, until you think about how much larger Nox is to Itachi, then it just crossed me as funny. "So, where exactly are we going?" I asked, turning back to the Uchiha.

"My usual lunch spot," Itachi responded, not bothering to look away from the window.

I scowled. Looks like he wasn't in a very talkative mood, though I got the feeling he never really was (he could at least turn on some music or something…). Holding back a sigh, I decided now would probably be an opportune moment to text my sister and ask how she was doing, not to mention the others as well; if they felt anywhere as bad as I did this morning, well, I might be tempted to call it an early evening tonight (though realistically that definitely wouldn't be the case).

**Ayame: Hey, Kia, are you guys up yet? **_Sent: 12:15 pm, 8/17_

She didn't respond right away, I didn't really expect her to, but soon enough my phone began to buzz.

**Kiame: Yeah, unfortunately. Feeling like shit. Are you at work? **_Sent 12:19 pm, 8/17_

I figured as much…

**Ayame: Yeah, I woke up late this morning though, so, you can just imagine….What's wrong? How's everyone else? **_Sent 12:20 pm. 8/17_

'BUZZ-BUZZ.'

**Kiame: Lol, you messed up…  
Uh, headache and stomach ache, I think we may have overdone it last night…lol. The others are alright. Naru said she's pretty nauseous, Claire is fine aside from a headache, but Serrah's pretty sick, she's been up all morning throwing up. :/ …. **_Sent 12:22 pm, 8/17_

Oh boy…

**Ayame: Tell them they can just stay the night, maybe we can call a pizza in or something later on when I get home. No point in you guys trying to go back to the college when you feel as sick as you guys do. **_Sent 12:23 pm, 8/17_

**Kiame: Sounds good to me, the others said, and I quote, "If she's offering pizza, I'll stay all week." **_Sent 12:24 pm, 8/17_

**Ayame: Yeah, yeah, lol. **_Sent 12:24 pm, 8/17_

**Kiame: Hey, HEY Ayame…now that you're rolling in the…."big dough"….will we be able to have more than one pizza? ;D LOLOL **_Sent 12:25 pm, 8/17_

I rolled my eyes and slipped my phone back into my bag; only Kia, only Kia…

"Family?" Itachi asked, suddenly breaking the silence. I looked up, surprised that he we staring at me, let alone speaking to me.

"Uh, yeah, kind of." I stated, looking back at my bag. Was it wrong of me to be texting my sister? I thought we were on a lunch break; don't people do that sort of thing? "Sister, really."

The black-haired man nodded, looking back at his window.

Well, so much for that conversation…

"Mr. Uchiha," Nox called, glancing back at his boss in the mirror. I looked around, realizing the car was slowly losing speed; were we already here?

Itachi glanced up, grunting a yes-to what I don't really know-as the car came to a complete stop; I guess we really were here. Nox, having now parked and stopped the car, left his seat first, stepping out to open both mine and Itachi's doors. A part of me felt bad for him, I could have opened my door…

"Have you ever eaten here before?" Itachi asked, coming around the car to join me on the sidewalk. I glanced around, I don't really recall being in this area of Detroit before, and if I ever have, I couldn't remember.

"Uhm," I looked up at the building before us, surprised to see exactly where we were. "No…" I've heard of the Rattle Snake Club before, it was a very expensive, very…lavish restaurant located here in the scene of Detroit. I heard many people talk about it back at the college and in other areas around town; needless to say, it was popular, especially if someone wanted to brag about it to their friends.

Itachi stepped up before me, gesturing for me to go inside.

I followed, not really knowing what to say; what do you say when your boss takes you to eat somewhere you definitely CAN'T afford, not even on a good day?

The inside was just as beautiful as the outside. The walls were all painted a vibrant red, garnished in artisan style moldings and large, bright windows. All of the tables were expertly set, each sporting their own series of wine glasses and tediously cleaned silverware. But…where in the world were all the people?

"Ah, Mr. Uchiha!" I stopped, again, almost running into Itachi (I really need to start paying attention…). A man, somewhat short and stoutly, came walking up to us, grinning happily.

"Mr. Sereno," Itachi extended his hand, meeting him halfway. "How are you this afternoon?"

I looked at my boss, trying to hide the incredulous look I so desperately wanted to give him. Is this what slick, business-savvy Itachi looked like? I had to stifle a laugh; he went from brooding to strictly professional in a matter of seconds.

"I'm well, I'm well," The shorter man smiled, "We've prepared a seat for you and your, uh," He glanced over to me, his smile widening considerably. Uncomfortable didn't even describe how I felt at the moment…"Friend."

"Thank you," Itachi stated, following him to a smaller corner of the restaurant. Was he not going to comment about this guy's assumptions?

Sighing, I followed the pair into, what I guessed, was a private dining room. Red paint continued on these walls, along with the molding, but now a series of intricate paintings and masks adorned the surface; it was a little different from the atmosphere outside, more modern, but I liked it. "I hope you both enjoy your meal," Mr. Sereno (was that his name?) stated, leaving us to ourselves.

I took my seat, directly across Itachi, and frowned. This felt weird. "So…why isn't there anyone else here?"

Mr. Uchiha glanced up from his menu, giving me a blank look. "They aren't open on Mondays, most places in Detroit aren't. But they do catering and…a few favors, for our company, so they give us the exception."

"Oh," I mumbled, feeling a little embarrassed for having asked. Of course they have full access to….wow, w-was that steak really $60?! I-I thought this place would be expensive, but…but damn…I…what was I going to do about rent?

"Excuse me, Miss?" I looked up, almost on the verge of a panic attack. A man, again, short, but not as stoutly as the other, stood before us, sporting a chef's coat and a small little notepad.

Itachi cleared his throat, giving me a knowing look; was…was this guy here to take our order? Wait, I..I didn't even have time to look? (w-what's the cheapest thing on here!?) "Well," Itachi collected my menu from my hands and handed it over to the chef, "I believe Miss Ayame will have what I'm having." The chef grinned suddenly, jotting down something on his notepad, "Thank you, Mr. Franz."

"The pleasure is mine, Mr. Uchiha." And he, too, left us.

I sighed (exactly how many times had I done that today?..), if Itachi didn't want to fire me before, I know he did now; I may have had the credentials to get me the job, but I definitely haven't shown him that I can apply it… And that reminds me, just how in the world did I expect to pay for this food?.. I didn't even have twenty dollars to my name, let alone enough to cover whatever he ordered for me… Man this day was just getting better and better.

"You sigh a lot." Itachi stated, bringing my attention back to our little table.

I frowned, somewhat taken aback that he just decided to randomly blurt that out. Even my boss was beginning to notice, and I'd only been working for him for one bloody day…"I suppose."

The black-haired man leaned back in his seat, looking me over. He didn't really seem too happy with my answer, or just anything at all really. "If the price is what you're worried about, you know you are my guest." He seemed to be picking his words carefully. "I intended to pay for your meal the whole time."

Okay…so, for you to understand this next little segment of conversation, I suppose I should explain exactly what I felt at that moment, and where I'm coming from when I say what I'm about to say…

For one, I felt relief; because frankly, I didn't have the money to pay for this place anyway, and now he seemed to be genuinely offering to do something nice for me, because surely he knows I just can't do it right now.  
Second, it made me absolutely furious. Yeah, yeah, I know; why in the world are you getting angry that someone just offered to pay for you? Isn't that a good thing? Didn't you just say that you couldn't afford it? To some, yeah, I guess it was nice that he so graciously offered to take care of it all for me, but to me, it felt like a handout. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with being nice to someone, but it's just…more of a…pet peeve of mine, I suppose. And, well…I guess it's kind of because my sister and I didn't really have much when we were younger, having been without a family to really go to for help and all, but she and I found our own way, without taking every little handout that was passed our way. To me, it felt more satisfying to know that I earned things myself, and I suppose I'm still like that today…which, would explain, to you, exactly why I decided to respond like I did… "I can pay for it."

Itachi's face didn't move, "Oh really?"

"Yeah," My voice sounded a little snappier than I meant for it to. "I don't need your help."

The black-haired man leaned forward, still meeting my eyes, and rested his head in his hand, tapping the other on the table. "You're lying."

Again, blunt.  
"No, I'm not." This whole ordeal was just making me angrier and angrier. "I can pay for it."

"How much is your rent?"

The question caught me off guard. "Why?"

"Just answer me." He stated, unwavering.

"Around $400 or so a month." I snapped, not amused by his games.

"Alright, so, how long have you been out of school?" Again with the questions. "And what jobs have you had since then?"

"I really don't think that's any of your business."

Itachi continued looking at me, "It is, Miss Azikuria, I'm your boss. Either you can disclose it to me willingly, or I can get someone from my team to look up your file-right now-and call me within minutes with your entire life's worth of history."

He doesn't have that kind of power…does he? "Now you're lying." I stated, crossing my arms. He wanted to bluff? Psh, fine, I'll call it.

The look on his face suddenly shifted from stoic, verging on angry, to amused and arrogant. To tell the truth, it kind of caught me off guard, considering the only expression I thought he could make was annoyed, but, well, not enough to deter me from trying to prove him wrong. "Then try me."

I leaned forward, matching his look entirely, "Call them then."

There was a long moment of silence. No one really dared to move and neither of us dared break eye contact, "Fine, it's settled." Itachi stated, pulling something out of his suit jacket.

"What do you mean settled?"

The black-haired man gave me a look as he began tapping the thing in his hands, "I'm going to call your bluff."

.

* * *

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**AN: I know, I know...It took me that long just to write this little thing? :( well...originally I was planning to just write through her entire first day then publish, but by the time I'd do that it'd be well over 10,000 words...so...yeah, I thought this was a good stopping point...:( Sorry D":**

**I'm also pretty upset about the email I put in here from Itachi...:( originally I had addresses I made up for them alongside their names, but every time I tried to post this, It'd delete them...:( oh well...**

**Uhm, also, THANK YOU TO ALL REVIEWERS, FOLLOWERS, AND FAVS! ;;.;; I am always so shocked when I log into my email and see someone else has reviewed or followed me, and it means so much! D": Thank you thank you to all!**

**Sooo, In other news, I recently started renting a home, so, updates may be a little sporadic, but I'll keep working and try to update for you guys :D**

Also, if any of you follow my DeviantArt account, I am now OPEN FOR PAYPAL COMMISSIONS :D My deviant is under the same name I have on here, AriaxCantabile, so if you want to check me out there, feel free to note me OR, if you don't have a Deviantart, send me a private message on here and maybe we could strike up a deal for commissions :D

**I hope you guys enjoy the chapter!  
Thank you again for all of the support! :D Happy Spring!**

**~Aria**


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